Irian kidnapping won't likely hurt RI image abroad
Irian kidnapping won't likely hurt RI image abroad
JAKARTA (JP): While it may not turn out to be another international embarrassment, experts believe the kidnapping of seven foreigners by separatist guerrillas in Irian Jaya may still unsettle the country's image abroad.
The deputy governor of the National Resilience Institute, Juwono Sudarsono, said such methods are a standard for minority groups bidding for wider attention.
"I think we have to get used to it because in the era of information globalization any local claim can be brought before international opinion," he told The Jakarta Post.
Juwono pointed out that other causes, such as those in Kashmir and Afghanistan, continue to attract international attention through similar tactics.
"It is the only way for them to gain the international spotlight," remarked Juwono who is also professor of political sciences at the University of Indonesia.
Military analyst Lt. Gen. (ret.) Hasnan Habib warned that while the kidnapping presently remains in the fringes of international attention, any attempt to free the captives which results in the death of any of the foreign hostages will bring international condemnation of Indonesia.
"If we settle this in such a way that causes the death of the foreigners we will be slammed," Hasnan told the Post late Wednesday evening.
He pointed to the international chiding Russia received for its actions in the breakaway republic of Chechnya as an example.
On the other hand, if the kidnappers execute any of the hostages then any sympathy for their cause will quickly evaporate, he said.
Hasnan expressed support for the strategy military forces are adopting in this crisis, saying that negotiation should only be directed towards securing the release of the hostages, not to acquiesce to the demands of the kidnappers.
He exclaimed that areas such as Irian Jaya, East Timor and Aceh which all have strong separatist movements, remain a sore point which could be easily manipulated to embarrass Indonesia.
"Those places are sensitive areas which could be exploited to grab world attention on issues of human rights and social justice," Hasnan remarked.
The former ambassador to Washington added that local officials in these areas must truly comprehend the problems and offer solutions to avoid discontent among the people.
"The local officials must understand the true situation there and not just report what they like," he said.
Meanwhile from London, special Jakarta Post correspondent Aboeprijadi Santoso reported that Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas stressed that the government is pursuing peaceful methods in seeking the release of the hostages.
"We can understand the British government's concern over her citizens and Indonesia will try to release the hostages through peaceful means, by persuasion, not by a military operation," Alatas said.
Alatas is in London this week to attend Tuesday's Trilateral talks on East Timor with his Portuguese counterpart Jaime Gama and United Nations Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali.
Alatas continued his stay with a working visit in which he met with several cabinet ministers and is due to meet with British Foreign Secretary Malcolm Rifkin today.(mds)